AR 507 - ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
- CASE STUDY
Vivanta by Taj, GURGAON
BY SHASHIKANT SAINI, 101116039
Introduction
Text description provided by the
architects: REDEFINING THE NATIVE
Set in the heart of India’s financial and
technological ‘Millennium City’, Taj City Centre
Gurugram is just 30 km from the national capital
and 19 km from the airport. The strikingly
contemporary hotel with 208 luxurious rooms
and suites looks over a capacious turquoise
pool. Singapore-based Warner Wong Design’s
urbane aesthetic reflects in the imposing glass
and granite façade with latticed Indian
accents and locally-inspired motifs. From fine
dining restaurants like Thai Pavilion and Culina
44, to the chic bar and lounge – Tease, the
popular La Patisserie and holistic wellness rituals
at the award-winning Jiva Spa, Taj Hotel in
Delhi-NCR offers a modish retreat for the global
business and leisure traveler. Our multi-lingual
staff is equipped to arrange pitch-perfect
formal events and glamorous soirées for guests
at the meeting spaces and banquet halls within
the hotel.
Location
The hotel resides in the city of Gurgaon, often dubbed the ‘Face of New India’. Overlooked as a
backward, rural community just a decade ago, Gurgaon has rapidly developed into an IT hub
and home to many multinational companies, partly due to its proximity and connectivity to the
national capital of New Delhi.
Design Principle
Designed on the principle of ‘height and light’, the hotel welcomes its guests into a triple height
lobby, flooded with natural light.
Legends
1 Drop-Off
2 Pre Function Room
3 Ballroom
4 Main Kitchen
5 Main Dining
6 Lift Lobby
7 Business centre
8 Small Meeting rooms
9 Meeting Rooms
10 Alfresco Garden
11 Celebrity Restaurant
Ground Floor Plan
Legends
1 Drop-Off
2 Pre Function Room
3 Ballroom
4 Main Kitchen
5 Main Dining
6 Lift Lobby
7 Business centre
8 Small Meeting rooms
9 Meeting Rooms
10 Alfresco Garden
11 Celebrity Restaurant
First Floor Plan
Sectional View
North Elevation
West Elevation
Challenge
Challenge was to find an approach that, one, resonates with the classic Indian spatial
experience and, two, can cut through the noise and chaos of the surrounding environment. The
tectonic language must be able to stand up to the visual clutter, the thick layer of dust that
envelopes this area, and the constant reminder that Gurgaon is essentially one giant
construction site.
Spatial Layering
A hotel, by very definition, needs to provide a space of safety, comfort, and relaxation for the
weary traveler. The Vivanta achieves this through a series of interconnected courtyards and
layered public spaces that draw on the traditional palace architecture of India. A series of
landscaped courtyards are surrounded by the main public interior spaces. These spaces are
separate, yet visually connected through layers of glass walls. The unpeeling of the layers of
screens, starting from the façade, gradually unveils the internal spaces. Skinning the building
reveals the swimming pool, restaurant blocks and other public spaces behind.
The spatial experience is simultaneously private but connected, interior but also continuous with
the exterior landscape. The grandness of the main lobby is multiplied by the layers of outdoor
courtyards and transparent connections to other public spaces like the main dining room and
banquet facilities.
Facade Strategy
While the spatial organization is meant to
insulate the guests from the chaos of the
outside world, the façade design is very much
about relating to and negotiating with the
messy context. The main mass of the two blocks
is clad in granite which renders the building as a
piece of rock emerging from the yellow dirt of
Gurgaon. The layers of glass and metal that
penetrates through the stone mass reaches out
to the emerging world of glass skyscrapers in
Gurgaon.
The overall experience of the facade is that of
something clean, minimal and refined, but the
collage of the stone, glass and metal somehow
feels one with the assemblage of yellow dirt,
concrete, brick and spots of green that adorn
the modern Indian landscape.
The façade is composed of a series of planes that resonate with the interior spaces
and courtyards
Design Elements
#1
The mirrored ceiling of the porte-cochère canopy announces the grand lobby
beyond
#2
The language of the façade is brought into the interior
#3
Link bridge over the water feature
#4
The main lobby and reception area visually and physically connects multiple levels of
the building
#5
The glass link bridge between the spa and the restaurants on the mezzanine level
#6
The main hotel block is separated by a narrow courtyard space but connected by
glass link bridges
#7
The bar and rooftop pool
#8
The building’s mass and volume sits amidst a tangle of urban sprawl and a rapidly
changing context
#9
Amenities
Swimming Pool
24x7 Fitness Centre
Thai Pavilion
• Iconic Thai
restaurant led by
MasterChef
Prajuab
Shoosridam
• Operational
hours: Lunch
12:30-15:00;
Dinner 18:30-
23:30
• Covers: 72including
22- seater private
dining room
Guestrooms
Guestrooms
Presidential Suits
• Perched at the top-most floor
• 2,098 square feet
• Panoramic views of the skyline
• Living room, master bedroom, inter-connecting
Taj Club room
• Luxurious bathroom with private
steam/sauna and Jacuzzi tub
• Private butler
• Private pantry
• Smart iPad controls
• Dedicated fire exit
Presidential Suits
Luxury Suits
• 688 square feet
• City / pool facing options
• Separate living area
• Ergonomic workstation
• Five-fixture bathroom
• Walk-in wardrobe
• Ideal for long-duration stays
Executive Suits
• 512 square feet
• Pool facing
• Ergonomic workstation
• Five-fixture bathroom
• Walk-in wardrobe
• Ideal for long-duration stays
Club Lounge – Exclusively for guests in Taj Club Rooms and Suites
Luxury Room
• 350 square
feet
• Pool- facing
rooms
• King/twin bed
options
• Ergonomic
workstation
• Four-fixture
bathroom
Deluxe Room
• 350 square
feet
• City- facing
rooms
• King/twin bed
options
• Ergonomic
workstation
• Four-fixture
bathroom
Thai Pavilion – Authentic Thai Dining
Culina | 44 – Our 24-Hour International Eatery
• All-day dining
restaurant
• Operational hours:
00:00-23:59
• Global cuisine,
theatre kitchens
• Covers: 103 indoors +
25 at the
Alfresco
• Breakfast, lunch and
dinner buffet
• Weekend brunches
• World of Taj, All-
Day Breakfast,
Comfort Food
Tease – Terrace Bar
• Award-winning
terrace bar
• Operational hours:
15:00-03:00
• Covers: 48 indoors
+ 28 covers at the
Terrace
• Signature elixirs
and
handcrafted
infusions
• Live nights –
stand-up
comedy, DJ,
music, mixology
• Tease After Hours:
1+1 from midnight
to 3 am
La Patisserie
• Gourmet
patisserie and
delicatessen
• Operational hours:
11:000- 20:00
• Freshly baked
breads, exquisite
tortes, bespoke
cakes, artisanal
chocolates,
French macarons
and more
Ballroom
A pillar-less ballroom spread over 4,555 square feet with a clear ceiling height of 21 feet
Glasshouse
Glasshouse is a signature venue for intimate meetings and gatherings energized with natural light
Boardroom I
A 13-seater boardroom with lounge
Boardroom II
A 4-seater boardroom
VENUE
AREA
(sq ft)
LENGTH X
WIDTH X
HEIGHT
CASUAL THEATRE CLASSROOM ROUND-TABLE U-SHAPED BOARDROOM
Without
Stage
With
Stage
Without
Stage
With
Stage
Without
Stage
With
Stage
Without
Stage
With
Stage
Without
Stage
With
Stage
Without
Stage
With
Stage
Ballroom 4555
87.8 x 53.02 x
21.9
650 600 550 425 200 150 250 200 80 50 80 60
Ballroom I 1968 38 x 53.02 x 21.9 125 100 100 80 100 50 80 70 40 30 24 15
Ballroom II 2585 49 x 53.02 x 21.9 150 125 150 125 100 50 120 100 30 20 36 20
Ballroom
Prefunction
2642 71.4 x 37 x 21.9 300 - - - - - - - - - - -
Glasshouse 1178
37.5 x 31.4 x
13.2
80 60 80 60 40 30 50 50 24 0 20 10
Glasshouse
Prefunction
616 23.7 x 26 x 13.2 50 - - - - - - - - - - -
Boardroom I 676 42 x 16.10 x 13.2 - - - - - - - - - - 12
Boardroom I
Lounge
289 17 x 17 x 13.2 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Boardroom
II
156 13 x 12 x 13.2 - - - - - - - - - - 4
Boardroom
III
204 13 x 17 x 13.2 - - - - - - - - - - 8
Victory I 548 34.3 x 16 x 9.3 40 30 40 30 20 - 18 12 18 - 14 0
Victory II 951 56.6 x 16.8 x 10 80 60 80 60 30 - 32 12 24 - 24 0
The Terrace 4566 250 200 200 150 - - 40 30 - - 0 0
The Alfresco 6777 300 250 300 200 - - 0 0 - - 0 0
Banquets Capacity Chart
Jiva Spa
• Inspired by traditional Indian healing wisdom
• Four treatment suites

5 Star Hotel - Vivanta, Gurgaon - Case Study

  • 1.
    AR 507 -ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN - CASE STUDY Vivanta by Taj, GURGAON BY SHASHIKANT SAINI, 101116039
  • 2.
    Introduction Text description providedby the architects: REDEFINING THE NATIVE Set in the heart of India’s financial and technological ‘Millennium City’, Taj City Centre Gurugram is just 30 km from the national capital and 19 km from the airport. The strikingly contemporary hotel with 208 luxurious rooms and suites looks over a capacious turquoise pool. Singapore-based Warner Wong Design’s urbane aesthetic reflects in the imposing glass and granite façade with latticed Indian accents and locally-inspired motifs. From fine dining restaurants like Thai Pavilion and Culina 44, to the chic bar and lounge – Tease, the popular La Patisserie and holistic wellness rituals at the award-winning Jiva Spa, Taj Hotel in Delhi-NCR offers a modish retreat for the global business and leisure traveler. Our multi-lingual staff is equipped to arrange pitch-perfect formal events and glamorous soirées for guests at the meeting spaces and banquet halls within the hotel.
  • 3.
    Location The hotel residesin the city of Gurgaon, often dubbed the ‘Face of New India’. Overlooked as a backward, rural community just a decade ago, Gurgaon has rapidly developed into an IT hub and home to many multinational companies, partly due to its proximity and connectivity to the national capital of New Delhi.
  • 5.
    Design Principle Designed onthe principle of ‘height and light’, the hotel welcomes its guests into a triple height lobby, flooded with natural light.
  • 6.
    Legends 1 Drop-Off 2 PreFunction Room 3 Ballroom 4 Main Kitchen 5 Main Dining 6 Lift Lobby 7 Business centre 8 Small Meeting rooms 9 Meeting Rooms 10 Alfresco Garden 11 Celebrity Restaurant Ground Floor Plan
  • 7.
    Legends 1 Drop-Off 2 PreFunction Room 3 Ballroom 4 Main Kitchen 5 Main Dining 6 Lift Lobby 7 Business centre 8 Small Meeting rooms 9 Meeting Rooms 10 Alfresco Garden 11 Celebrity Restaurant First Floor Plan
  • 8.
  • 9.
  • 10.
  • 11.
    Challenge Challenge was tofind an approach that, one, resonates with the classic Indian spatial experience and, two, can cut through the noise and chaos of the surrounding environment. The tectonic language must be able to stand up to the visual clutter, the thick layer of dust that envelopes this area, and the constant reminder that Gurgaon is essentially one giant construction site. Spatial Layering A hotel, by very definition, needs to provide a space of safety, comfort, and relaxation for the weary traveler. The Vivanta achieves this through a series of interconnected courtyards and layered public spaces that draw on the traditional palace architecture of India. A series of landscaped courtyards are surrounded by the main public interior spaces. These spaces are separate, yet visually connected through layers of glass walls. The unpeeling of the layers of screens, starting from the façade, gradually unveils the internal spaces. Skinning the building reveals the swimming pool, restaurant blocks and other public spaces behind. The spatial experience is simultaneously private but connected, interior but also continuous with the exterior landscape. The grandness of the main lobby is multiplied by the layers of outdoor courtyards and transparent connections to other public spaces like the main dining room and banquet facilities.
  • 12.
    Facade Strategy While thespatial organization is meant to insulate the guests from the chaos of the outside world, the façade design is very much about relating to and negotiating with the messy context. The main mass of the two blocks is clad in granite which renders the building as a piece of rock emerging from the yellow dirt of Gurgaon. The layers of glass and metal that penetrates through the stone mass reaches out to the emerging world of glass skyscrapers in Gurgaon. The overall experience of the facade is that of something clean, minimal and refined, but the collage of the stone, glass and metal somehow feels one with the assemblage of yellow dirt, concrete, brick and spots of green that adorn the modern Indian landscape.
  • 14.
    The façade iscomposed of a series of planes that resonate with the interior spaces and courtyards Design Elements #1
  • 15.
    The mirrored ceilingof the porte-cochère canopy announces the grand lobby beyond #2
  • 16.
    The language ofthe façade is brought into the interior #3
  • 17.
    Link bridge overthe water feature #4
  • 18.
    The main lobbyand reception area visually and physically connects multiple levels of the building #5
  • 19.
    The glass linkbridge between the spa and the restaurants on the mezzanine level #6
  • 20.
    The main hotelblock is separated by a narrow courtyard space but connected by glass link bridges #7
  • 21.
    The bar androoftop pool #8
  • 22.
    The building’s massand volume sits amidst a tangle of urban sprawl and a rapidly changing context #9
  • 23.
  • 24.
  • 25.
  • 26.
    Thai Pavilion • IconicThai restaurant led by MasterChef Prajuab Shoosridam • Operational hours: Lunch 12:30-15:00; Dinner 18:30- 23:30 • Covers: 72including 22- seater private dining room
  • 27.
  • 28.
  • 29.
    Presidential Suits • Perchedat the top-most floor • 2,098 square feet • Panoramic views of the skyline • Living room, master bedroom, inter-connecting Taj Club room • Luxurious bathroom with private steam/sauna and Jacuzzi tub • Private butler • Private pantry • Smart iPad controls • Dedicated fire exit
  • 30.
  • 31.
    Luxury Suits • 688square feet • City / pool facing options • Separate living area • Ergonomic workstation • Five-fixture bathroom • Walk-in wardrobe • Ideal for long-duration stays
  • 32.
    Executive Suits • 512square feet • Pool facing • Ergonomic workstation • Five-fixture bathroom • Walk-in wardrobe • Ideal for long-duration stays
  • 35.
    Club Lounge –Exclusively for guests in Taj Club Rooms and Suites
  • 36.
    Luxury Room • 350square feet • Pool- facing rooms • King/twin bed options • Ergonomic workstation • Four-fixture bathroom
  • 37.
    Deluxe Room • 350square feet • City- facing rooms • King/twin bed options • Ergonomic workstation • Four-fixture bathroom
  • 38.
    Thai Pavilion –Authentic Thai Dining
  • 39.
    Culina | 44– Our 24-Hour International Eatery • All-day dining restaurant • Operational hours: 00:00-23:59 • Global cuisine, theatre kitchens • Covers: 103 indoors + 25 at the Alfresco • Breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet • Weekend brunches • World of Taj, All- Day Breakfast, Comfort Food
  • 40.
    Tease – TerraceBar • Award-winning terrace bar • Operational hours: 15:00-03:00 • Covers: 48 indoors + 28 covers at the Terrace • Signature elixirs and handcrafted infusions • Live nights – stand-up comedy, DJ, music, mixology • Tease After Hours: 1+1 from midnight to 3 am
  • 41.
    La Patisserie • Gourmet patisserieand delicatessen • Operational hours: 11:000- 20:00 • Freshly baked breads, exquisite tortes, bespoke cakes, artisanal chocolates, French macarons and more
  • 42.
    Ballroom A pillar-less ballroomspread over 4,555 square feet with a clear ceiling height of 21 feet
  • 43.
    Glasshouse Glasshouse is asignature venue for intimate meetings and gatherings energized with natural light
  • 44.
    Boardroom I A 13-seaterboardroom with lounge
  • 45.
  • 46.
    VENUE AREA (sq ft) LENGTH X WIDTHX HEIGHT CASUAL THEATRE CLASSROOM ROUND-TABLE U-SHAPED BOARDROOM Without Stage With Stage Without Stage With Stage Without Stage With Stage Without Stage With Stage Without Stage With Stage Without Stage With Stage Ballroom 4555 87.8 x 53.02 x 21.9 650 600 550 425 200 150 250 200 80 50 80 60 Ballroom I 1968 38 x 53.02 x 21.9 125 100 100 80 100 50 80 70 40 30 24 15 Ballroom II 2585 49 x 53.02 x 21.9 150 125 150 125 100 50 120 100 30 20 36 20 Ballroom Prefunction 2642 71.4 x 37 x 21.9 300 - - - - - - - - - - - Glasshouse 1178 37.5 x 31.4 x 13.2 80 60 80 60 40 30 50 50 24 0 20 10 Glasshouse Prefunction 616 23.7 x 26 x 13.2 50 - - - - - - - - - - - Boardroom I 676 42 x 16.10 x 13.2 - - - - - - - - - - 12 Boardroom I Lounge 289 17 x 17 x 13.2 - - - - - - - - - - - - Boardroom II 156 13 x 12 x 13.2 - - - - - - - - - - 4 Boardroom III 204 13 x 17 x 13.2 - - - - - - - - - - 8 Victory I 548 34.3 x 16 x 9.3 40 30 40 30 20 - 18 12 18 - 14 0 Victory II 951 56.6 x 16.8 x 10 80 60 80 60 30 - 32 12 24 - 24 0 The Terrace 4566 250 200 200 150 - - 40 30 - - 0 0 The Alfresco 6777 300 250 300 200 - - 0 0 - - 0 0 Banquets Capacity Chart
  • 47.
    Jiva Spa • Inspiredby traditional Indian healing wisdom • Four treatment suites